The FABC Documentation Centre is located on the third floor of the so-called "back building" in the St Louis Hospital compound in Bangkok, Thailand. Beside several offices, the centre has a meeting room for up to 40 people which is also available for FABC members. The centre stores copies of all FABC publications listed in the fabc.org website and tries to build up a small additional library on FABC related subjects which includes also doctoral and masteral theses related to FABC thinking. The new centre is part of the general secretariat of the FABC which is located in Hong Kong.

Communion and Spiritual Leadership in Asia

"Communion and Spiritual Leadership in Asia... in the Light of the Documents of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences" is a new book related to the theology of the FABC.  The original title of this dissertation by Jesuit Father Jeffrey G. L. Chang was "Ordained Ministry in the Mission and Ministry of the Church in Asia, in Light of the Documents of the FABC (1970-2005)."  The thesis was submitted to the Faculty of Theology at FuJen Catholic University in Taipei and now published within the "Documenta Missionalia" series of Gregorian University in Rome as volume 33.    After a presentation on the theology of the FABC, the author studies in a detailed way the vision of ministry, and finally evaluates the FABC mission. "This vision is a source of hope

and also a firm foundation for anyone concerned about issues of ecclesiology and ministry,"  the editor of "Documenta Missionalia" writes in his Foreword.  "The author offers in this book a solid introduction to the broader theology of the FABC that points out the systematic development of the ordained ministry and its relationship with the ministry of laity, showing how the entire people of God should be oriented to the glory of God by constituting among themselves this communion."  The book is available from the Publishing House of "Editrice Universita Gregoriana," Rome.

New FABC-related Dissertations

Two new doctoral dissertations examining the thinking of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences were recently completed. At Fu Jen Catholic University, in Taiwan, Jesuit Father Jeffrey Chang analyzed the FABC’s vision of ordained ministry. The FABC characterizes the priest in Asia as “a man of communion” and emphasizes ordained ministry’s relationship to the community’s ministerial life. At Weston Jesuit School of Theology, in the United States, Jesuit Father Bernardus Agus Rukiayanto explored the dynamics of inculturation in the church of Indonesia, especially as influenced by the FABC understanding of inculturation as threefold dialogue. Theological reflection on inculturation also offers some principles that might be useful for the universal church. These Spring 2007 dissertations join earlier studies in a growing body of reflection on the theological contributions of the FABC. Copies will be available at the FABC Documentation Centre, Bangkok.

FABC-related Doctoral Dissertations

Up till now there are at least 21 doctoral dissertations completed at different universities which are partly or completely based on FABC documents and thinking since the foundation of the federation in 1970. A listing compiled by Jesuit Father Jeffrey Chang from the FuJen University in Taipei Taiwan shows that most of them are submitted to Roman universities like the Gregorian but also Urbaniana Universities and Angelicum. There are also works submitted and approved by universities in Washington, Berkeley, Ottawa, Innsbruck, Nijmegen and Muenster.

The present listing, confined to doctoral theses only, contains completed works and does not include works in progress. A listing is also confined to doctoral theses only, a listing of Licentiate and Masteral studies will probably be much longer though it has not been developed yet.

A newly erected FABC Documentation centre in Bangkok will try to acquire all papers to make them available for researchers. Any help in this endeavour will be appreciated.

FABC Documentation Centre Opens in Bangkok

A new FABC Documentation Centre was inaugurated in Bangkok within the compound of St Louis Hospital owned by the archdiocese. Michai Cardinal Kitbunchu, archbishop of Bangkok, presided the blessing of the centre on May 21, 2006, together with Thai bishops’ conference President, Bishop George Phimphisan, and Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Nuncio to Thailand.

The FABC Secretary General, Archbishop Orlando Quevedo omi, the chairmen-bishops and executive secretaries of the nine FABC offices were present at the occasion. The event was a highlight of a three-day joint planning meeting of the offices.

The new centre will house and preserve all books published by the FABC as well as dissertations and other publications referring one way or the other to the Federation. The FABC Documentation Centre includes a conference room that can seat some 40 persons, a library and several small offices.

Academic Papers for FABC Documentation Centre

In the course of 36 years of existence of the FABC, quite some studies have been made about the considerations, activities and life of the Federation. The new FABC Documentation Centre in Bangkok aims to have a complete collection of all papers especially Masteral and Doctoral theses written about the FABC. We would like to ask our readers and friends to inform us about any such paper, publication or thesis so that we can possibly secure a copy for the center in Bangkok. Please contact the FABC-Office of Social Communication at fabcosc@gmail.com